settingIndex was once a small and close-knit community, but the town located on the western side of Washington state has grown in recent years beyond anyone's expectations. It is the ideal place for those who work in Seattle but can't afford the city's high real estate prices, and for others the natural beauty attracts them to the town. And Index truly is a beautiful place - surrounded by thick evergreen trees, tall mountains and glistening rivers and lakes. While weather is typically rainy with overcast skies even this does nothing to take away from the beauty of the town, and it is only highlighted further when the heavy snow graces the town and caps the mountains in winter. To many, Index would seem like a paradise. And yet lurking beneath this visual beauty there is more to this town than anyone might ever imagine...

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My eyes narrowed, but I didn’t say anything. I sat and waited. On the outside, I was cool, almost clam if it wasn’t for the rigid way I held myself, but on the inside I was a conflict of emotions and disbelief. If Michelle thought last night was confusing, how did she think I felt? If it wasn’t for the video I had which backed up the horror I’d seen then I’d be going out of my mind. Even with the video my reflex was to think I’d imagined what had happened and I’d spent the night watching it over and over again, to prove to myself I wasn’t going mad.

Whatever lie I expected Michelle to pull out of her ass wasn’t offered up, and I stared at her when instead her words mirrored the thought in my head. I didn’t move at first. I was too busy thinking – was it the first time? Was Michelle playing dumb? Or was she in the exact same position as me, only without anything to even back up the fuckery we’d both witnessed?

A few minutes passed and I suddenly got to my feet. Then you should see this. I said, glancing to Michelle. My doubts over whether I’d made the right decision quieted when I took in her appearance again, replaced instead with a cold confidence, and I moved to grab my laptop. Here. I motioned for her to sit down next to me, pushing the machine half onto her lap, and clicked play on the video I’d uploaded from my phone. I wasn’t expecting her to feel better for watching it – how the fuck could you when you were watching your ex turn into some mutant creature out of a movie or comic? – but I did hope it would put any doubts she had over it to rest. I stared at the screen with my features set into a frown, watching the video myself for what could have been the hundredth time.

The minutes of silence felt like eons. First I was hoping that he wouldn't think I was crazy, but now that he didn't... well shit I wish I was crazy. I wished that it was a hallucination. I mean it would have been a damned convincing one. The sounds, the details, the smells. I knew my brain wouldn't have been that accurate. I took a sharp breath before pulling my eyes to the laptop screen. It was nothing compared to the real thing. So many horror movies and TV shows had desensitized me to this kind of thing. Had I not actually seen this exact thing happen with my own two eyes, I would have figured some CG expert wanted to get some internet attention. But no, those were the voices I heard, that was the vacant lot behind the pub. This was it. I didn't think I'd be bothered by it, until I heard the agonizing inhuman noises. Funny... it wasn't the visuals of it that disturbed me. It was the sounds. I turned my head as if that would stop it.

Damn, that's some elaborate halloween prank Bennigan's pulled, right? But my tone wasn't at all convincing. A poor joke at best. I was kind of hoping I was nuts. So.... fuck. I wondered what Gabe had been planning to do with this. And then the scary thought hit me. You know it's probably not a good idea to let anyone around here know you have this. I sharply turned to him, my mouth slightly parted, my eyes focused on his. If this shit's real... and they don't want anyone to know... well... And they now knew I knew. Why didn't they hurt me?

I raised an eyebrow at Michelle when she first started, wondering if she really thought I was that stupid. I breathed a little sigh and nodded my head when she dropped the act, turning to the end image the video stopped at and studying the strange wolf form on it before closing the video player and then my laptop, wiping a hand down my face.

My gaze darted back to Michelle when she mentioned they very thing that had been on my mind. As well as completely damn bowled over, I’d been feeling paranoid ever since witnessing what had happened. I didn’t know what had gone on but it stank of something gang related, totally bad news with a capital Bad. Bad News. I didn’t feel safe when I understood so little and that had been the exact reason I’d posted round a message to a few friends on facebook.

I grunted a little and smirked, raising my eyebrows at Michelle. Yeah I figured that. I’m more than just a pretty face, Mishy. There was still a sharp edge to my voice, but it was the closest we’d got to normal since she’d stepped into the apartment. I dropped the smirk and shifted my laptop onto the couch next to me, sighing a little as I thought about the packing I’d have to do. It was real, alright. I’ve got no fucking idea what it was, but it was real. My head is.. I don’t even know where my head’s at right now, just.. Jesus.. how’re you meant to make sense of that? It’s like something out of a fucking movie, and in movies only bad stuff happens to people who witness this kind of crap. So yeah, I’m going out of town for a while, lay low. Try and clear my head. I cleared my throat and tapped my fingers against my thigh, thinking deeply before I glanced back to Michelle. So, you never saw any of that before? Your ex turn into… some mutant animal? I’ve heard stories about weird exes before but damn, this blows them all out the water. I shook my head, the image of what had happened playing in my mind.

Maybe it wasn't the time for it, but I found myself trying to make jokes to east the tension. I'd never seen this side of Gabe, and I mean... I didn't blame him but I wanted things to be back to the way they were before last night. I wanted so bad for last night to just be a bad dream.

Well, yeah, you've got pretty arms and pretty legs and pretty hair... I had to be careful, because it didn't seem like he was in the joking mood. What he would learn is that I was bad at taking cues. But I hated what he said more than the tension that clung to the air. I understood, but I was gonna be selfish, and try my damndest to think of an excuse for him to stick around. Even if it wasn't a good idea.

What's leaving going to help? If there's wolves here don't you think they exist anywhere else too? Besides... don't you think it's weird they didn't hurt me? I paused, trying to remember specific details other than what happened to Gio. If anything, they seemed to be protecting me. And I doubt it's because he's my fucking ex. I stood up, and even though the jarring movement made me instantly regret it, I continued to stand. My head felt like some heavy liquid was swishing around, and I couldn't turn my head without creating waves.

No, I said, turning around to face him... but slowly. There was one time... a while back before we were... yanno... a thing. He was um... I remembered the night at the cabin party. It wasn't like he raped me or assaulted me. But he was... forceful. He just scared me a little. He didn't hurt me.

There was a smirk on my face and I snorted a bit, but my heart wasn’t in it. Maybe it was blatantly obvious from the way I didn’t offer a retort, but my mind was on other things already, planning out where I’d go. It seemed stupid but maybe I needed a break from this town. Usually I liked charging ahead, full throttle, full speed ahead, all that jazz… but after the previous night I just felt tired. The crazy express was choo-chooing off a cliff and I wasn’t going down with it.

Mishy… I sighed, feeling crazily tired. Yeah, it’s weird. But all this shit’s weird! The whole damn lot of it - and not even a good weird any more. My brain stopped trying to work out what was weird and what wasn’t when your asshole ex turned into a monster wolf. At this point.. I don’t care if they come after me or not, but shit Mish, I need a break. I need some headspace and I’m not gonna get it here. I grimaced, then threw back my head and laughed. People go find themselves, right? Go travelling? I’ll do that. My laugh turned into a sneer and I frowned at my laptop, almost wishing I hadn’t been a witness to the event last night.

I sat still, terribly still and listened to Michelle, my veins feeling cold. He didn’t hurt you? I repeated, standing up and walking close to her, eyes searching hers just in case she tried to cover for that.. monster. I laid a hand on Mish’s shoulder, the limb it was attached to feeling heavy. Look, maybe it’s shitty of me, maybe it seems like I’m bailing on you right now and I didn’t want it to be like this, but I just need to get away and clear my head. I’ve already sorted where I’m going first, it’s done, I made my decision. I don’t like leaving you after this, but I’ll be back. And you’ve got my number- seriously, if anything happens, if you’re scared, you fuckin’ ring me, okay? I might not be round but I’ve got a friend who’s gonna come look after the place and I trust him. I stared down at Michelle, and squeezed her shoulder, my hand still resting there. I shook my head and glanced away. Jesus, if anything you should be coming with me to get away from all of this. I thought out loud. It wasn’t a serious offer, if only because I didn’t think Michelle would take it. I wondered how much turmoil her mind was in, if it was even worse than mine, what feelings – if any – she still had for Gio when he was… whatever he was.